


Your Smile Makes Me Smile

by JCo_77



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Dancing, F/M, He's hella shy and awkward, Main OFC is Tony Stark's daughter, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Parker is a cutie, Peter is hopelessly in love, artist, everyone wants them together, highkey cute, i fucking love him
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-19 19:33:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17007831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCo_77/pseuds/JCo_77
Summary: Faith Foster is the daughter of Tony Stark with an upsetting past. As she enters into her final year of high school, a certain kid is introduced to the Avengers. Can his dorky smile and shy antics bring Faith back to the present, or will her past haunt her until the end of her days?I suck at summaries. I'm just trying my hardest I swear.





	1. Chapter 1

Tony Stark had spent his whole life in the media. Howard Stark was an utter genius, creating and inventing things that constantly left him in the media. He wanted for his son to be the same way, to have talents and make something of himself. Howard forced him into the spotlight, so at Tony's basic events - such as his seventh grade science fair - news stations and cameras were recording his even move. When he only got second place, however, the cameras didn't notice Howard yelling at him from the hall, only bringing his attention to his failure. When Howard Stark passed in a brutal accident, all attention turned to Tony, filming his every move. It was a lot of pressure, to be watched from every angle the moment you stepped out of your house, and it was the sole reason as to why Tony refused to tell the public about his daughter. 

It was not that he did not love his daughter. In fact, Tony loved his baby girl with every ounce of his being. She came as a surprise, a result from a drunken night after one of his many galas. When the woman he slept with came forward a month later with ultrasound pictures, Tony found his heart swelling, and he immediately began to plan how he would raise her. Firstly, she moved the woman into the tower, and introduced her to the world as his girlfriend. He did everything for her, gave her everything she wanted. She wasn't allowed into the public once she started to show, but she couldn't complain, as she was living in the lap of luxury. 

In late October, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Tony was in a dark place mentally, but when he was finally handed his daughter, the girl with the startling green eyes, who gurgled up at him quietly, he suddenly was lifted out of his depression. He felt like he suddenly had a purpose in life. His daughter gave him faith. 

So that's what he named her. Faith McKenna Stark. 

His girlfriend quickly left him after that. She left in the middle of the night, leaving a note that she didn't want a family. Sure, it broke Tony's heart, but mainly because of how this would affect Faith. She had to grow up without a mother, and that really pissed him off. However, he hid his anger, instead choosing to devote his life to his daughter. 

Faith was raised spoiled, but not rotten. At age four, after going to the circus for the first, she was entranced by the beautiful dancing and acrobats done by the performers, and told her father that she wanted to be a dancer. Tony signed her up for dance and gymnastics, which she fell in love with. She devoted herself to music and the arts, begging for piano and violin lessons at age seven, and had several pieces of art in her school's art gallery at age twelve. While Tony Stark made his living of off math an physics, Faith fell in love with the arts. 

At age 17, Faith was a person of beauty. She was alarmingly short, standing at only five feet tall, and was a spitting image of her mother. Her skin was honey gold, adorned with a multitude of freckles, with eyes the shade of evergreen trees in the dead of winter, sparkled with blue stars. Her hair reached her jawline, curled in the beach waves of the Florida coast. She was skinny, with a thin waist and small shoulders. Her stomach was flat with a hint of abs, and her legs and arms showed the muscle of a lifetime of dancing. Tony sent her to the best private school in New York City, and when she wasn't studying or at dance practice, she spent her time at the Stark Tower, lounging around with the heroes that had saved the world multiple times, but that she considered to be her family. Natasha Romanoff had given her her first pocket knife, and showed her how to shoot a gun. Steve Rogers showed her how to fight off someone bigger and stronger than her. Bruce Banner taught her the wonders of meditation, and always lent an ear when she needed to vent. Faith Stark was raised without a mother, but she was in no way raised without being loved. 

\---

Finals were kicking her ass. Sure, she was passing all of her classes already, but if she really wanted to get into the Julliard School of Dance, then she needed to prove that there was absolutely no competition, that she was the best candidate for their school. And having a low grade of 92% was not how she made a name for herself. 

It was late May, and Faith only had a week of school left. This coming week was all finals, and her head was swimming with the information she had been cramming inside her head for the past two weeks. She wasn't worried about her elective classes, it was her physics and math classes that had her nervous. Thank God it was Friday. 

Faith took the elevator up to the communal floor, where she had a feeling her family would be. She entered the floor and immediately swung her bag to the floor by the kitchen counter, where...a very cute boy was sitting. He was much taller than her, with bright eyes and curly brown hair. He was laughing, a half-eaten sandwich in his hand. It took Faith a moment of staring for it finally clock in her head. This must be Peter. 

According to her father, Peter Parker was a 17 year old high-school student with amazing capabilities. He was fighting crimes down in Queens with a suit that he had made himself. He was a brilliant kid, who Tony had decided to take under his wing. Word around the tower was that her father had already began the process to turn him into an Avenger. With that in mind, Faith stepped into the kitchen, going to the fridge to get herself something to drink. When she turned, her messily painted nails popping open the tab on her soda can, she met eyes with Peter, who immediately flushed dark and averted his gaze. Faith found herself smiling, and stepped up to the counter. 

"You must be Peter. I'm Faith, nice to meet 'cha," she hummed, sticking her hand out. Even though he had just been looking at her, Peter jumped, obviously not expecting her to talk to him. He looked at her hand, as if not knowing how to respond, before he shakily took it in his own. 

"Hey, um, yeah...Peter, but, you already knew that," he mumbled, pulling his hand back to run through his hair. Faith chuckled. She went to a private school, and spent her spare time with the Avengers, so she was used to being around cocky, somewhat arrogant people. But Peter seemed more like an excited puppy that had no idea what to do with himself than a soon-to-be Avenger. Faith found it endearing. 

"Yeah, I don't know much, but Dad's been talking about you a lot, so I have a few ideas of what you can do." She shrugged and took a sip of her soda, looking out into the living room, where the Avengers were conversing. As she spoke, Peter took the last bite of her sandwich, but as she finished her sentence, he choked, coughing. Faith sent him a concerned look as he patted his own chest. 

"Sorry, um...did you say dad?" he asked weakly, fighting down a few more coughs. Faith nodded, frowning. 

"Um, my Dad? Tony Stark?" Peter looked up at her with wide eyes. 

"I...I had no idea Mr. Stark had a daughter," he said quietly. Faith chuckled. 

"He's done his best to keep me out of the media, but I figured he would have at least been complaining about me," she said with a smile, turning to get her backpack off the ground. Peter stood and came around the counter, placing his plate in the sink. 

"...You go to a private school?" he asked, nodding towards her uniform. Her uniform was standard for a private school; a white button-up blouse covered with a blue jacket, a white skirt, blue and white tall socks, and black shoes with small heels that clinked on the floor when she walked. Faith looked down at herself and nodded. 

"Yeah, here in town. You'll get a matching one once you transfer in the fall." 

Peter frowned. "Transfer? W-What do you mean?" 

Faith laughed, turning towards Peter fully. "What? You think Dad is gonna make you an official Avenger, and let you say in Queens? He's planning on moving you - and your Aunt - into the tower at the soonest possible date. My school is out for the summer in a week, but he wants to send you to my school in the fall." 

Peter's jaw actually fell in shock. Mr. Stark...was gonna move him into the tower? Aunt May always worked hard to provide for them, but he knew that they sometimes struggled to make ends meet. May wouldn't have to work long hours anymore, and he could be sent to a private school to get an amazing education, on top of being an Avenger? He wanted to jump up and down and scream in excitement. This was his dream come true! 

At that moment, Tony Stark himself came around the corner, an empty mug of coffee in his hand and oil smeared across the old shirt he was wearing. Faith immediately grinned, running towards her father. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he hugged her tightly in return, peppering kisses along the side of her face and in her hair. 

"Hey sweetpea! I'm so glad you're home, only one more week until you're a senior! I'm so proud of you," he said with a grin, pulling away so he could stroke her messy hair gently, placing a kiss to her forehead. Faith looked up at him with absolute adoration. Her father always had her back, even in the worst of situations. Even when Faith thought that absolutely nobody would believe her, her father did. 

Tony looked over his daughter's head, his eyes landing on Peter, who stood awkwardly by the sink. "Hey, I see you've met Parker. Thank God, you know I hate introductions. Do me a favor, yeah? You're his age, get him settled in?" 

Faith immediately nodded. She knew that his floor was almost complete - which was definitely big enough for him and his aunt - and he would be moving into a brand new school in the fall. She knew that sometimes it could be hard to fit in, and as far as she was concerned, Peter was a part of her family now, so the least she could do was help him get settled. 

"You're amazing, Fay, I owe you one," he said, kissing her head once more. "Invite your friends over tonight. I'll get you guys some amazing food, whatever you want. I know you guys have been studying really hard for finals, you deserve at least one night to relax." Faith smiled up at him, pulling him into another hug. 

"Thanks Dad, you always know what I need," she hummed quietly. He kissed her head once more. 

"I gotta get some work done, okay? I'll be in the lab if you need me. Just let me know when your friends are gonna be here," he said, quickly pouring himself another cup of coffee and disappearing into the elevator. Faith turned, still smiling to herself as she pulled her phone out of her skirt pocket. 

There was a moment of silence between them, in which Faith actually forgot that Peter as there, before he cleared his throat, pushing off of the counter. "Hey, um...you really don't have to worry about me, ya know? I can get settled on my own." 

Faith looked up at him, giving him a kind smile. "I'm sure you can, but it's always nice to have a friend, yeah?" she hummed, standing up a little straighter. "I'm gonna have my friends come over, like Dad suggested. How about you come down for a bit? My...My friends are kinda weird and they're total nerds, but they're nice, and I'm sure you'd like them. You'll be going to school with them," she offered, hoping that he would say yes. She told herself that it was because she wanted to be nice, and it wasn't because his smile made her cheeks flush. 

"Um, yeah, yeah I would love to," he replied, actually kind of excited to make some new friends. 

Faith grinned in reply. "Great. I'll let you know when we're gonna meet up." She paused, picking up her bag and giving him a bright smile. "I'll see you later," she hummed, before turning and going to the elevator to go to her own floor. She pretended to not see Peter's cheeks flush and his grin widen even more. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Faith schedules for her friends to come over at 7pm. 

It wasn't as though she needed to clean her floor, as it was always spotless, so after easily finishing her homework, Faith decides that perhaps a painting session would help ease her racing heart - which  _definitely_  wasn't because Peter was coming over. No, that was actually ridiculous. She just met him! It was a pure coincidence that his smile made her smile, and his shy actions made her want to pet his hair and tell him that he was too adorable for his own good. But even if that wasn't just a coincidence, she wasn't ready for a relationship, not after last time. No, she probably just needed to eat. Yeah, that's why her heart was beating a little fast. Yeah. 

Since all they would be doing was lounging around her floor, eating food and watching movies, she decided that the dress code was limited to comfy clothes. So she changed into a pair of baggy sweatpants and a loose tank top. She pulled her crazy curls into a bun and padded down the hall, past her living room and kitchen, to reach her art studio. It was easily bigger than her living room, with dozens and dozens of blank canvasses leaning against one wall. On the other were more canvasses, those one already painted. There was a paint-stained tarp on the floor to protect a carpet, and large windows covered an entirety of one wall, letting in plenty of natural light. It looked out upon the city, which gave her plenty of inspiration, especially at night time. She had a large drawing desk set up by the door, and her art easel was set up in the center of the room. 

Faith came into the room and grabbed a blank canvas, setting it on her easel and sitting on her stool. The girl looked out upon the city, finding romance between building windows and speeding cars. She was in love with the city, and had no issues having inspiration to paint. She poured paint into her palette and chose her brush, getting lost in paint strokes and mixed colors. 

Anyone could see that Faith was entranced by her painting, a landscape of New York. She didn't come to until it was finished, and she set it on her rather large drying rack under the setting sun. It was almost time for her friends to show up, so Faith went back to her bedroom, singing to herself as she put away her textbooks and paper. Her friends showed up as one group, as they normally did. 

Besides her father, her friends were the only ones who truly  _knew_  Faith. Especially Connor. 

Faith and Connor met in gymnastics at age four. Connor was the only boy in her class, and was incredibly shy, though he tried his best not to be. He tried to put himself out there, to make friends, but he ended up coming off far too strong, and actually scared some of the other girls. But not Faith. Faith adored the fact that Connor was not afraid to try, and once she got to know him, she fell in love with his personality and spirit. Once people began to see how flexible Connor was, their gymnastics instructor requested for him to be put in dance, as it would give him an excuse to let out all of his energy. His mother agreed, and he was put into the same class that Faith was. Their friendship grew and grew, until they were attached at the hip, practically at all times. Tony actually expected them to begin dating at a very young age, but Connor came out as gay at age 13, and Faith didn't seem phased whatsoever. In fact, when asked about it, Faith said that she never had any feelings towards Connor, and almost expected him to come out as gay. They were still dance partners, and had plans to go to the Julliard School of Dance together, and become professional dancers. Connor was fairly tall, with soft brown hair and warm brown eyes. He had a habit of dressing quite nice on a regular basis - pajamas were not ever acceptable outside of the house. Even when they went to dance practice, he wore clothes that defined his body type and brought out the color of his eyes. He always looked nice. 

Two years ago, at age 15, Connor finally got a boyfriend, who was immediately accepted into the friend group. He was tall as well, a few inches taller than Connor. He had blonde hair and baby blue eyes; he was the exact opposite of Connor, which only made them more of a perfect match. He always had a bit of stubble of his jaw, as he hated shaving and would regularly skip several days without touching a razor. He was thin, unlike Connor's broad shoulders and strong build, though he did have his own muscle. He believed that life was meant to be lived comfortably, so he was rarely ever seen in anything fancier than jeans and a hoodie. He had a nose, lip, and eyebrow piercing, though he only wore his lip ring on a regular basis. He fell in love with his guitar at a very young age, and had dreams of playing professionally, though he was also really interested in psychology, and wanted to go to college to get his doctorate. Luke was a very relaxed teenager, who honestly didn't care about much of anything, besides Connor. Their relationship was never shaky; they held each other tall, and even if they fought and argued, they always came back to each other. 

Connor and Luke actually met through Faith. She became friends with Luke's twin sister, Katie, when she was only ten years old. Faith liked Katie purely because she did not give a fuck about anyone or anything. She did not victimize herself because she was born female, she took her chance to become powerful, and raise above her expectations. She took karate classes, and while she was only a bit bigger than Faith, she was definitely someone to fear, as she had a habit of beating up anyone who tried to bully her. Katie loved technology - especially cars - and was often seen gushing over her latest project with Tony. Tony described her as a mechanical prodigy, and constantly gave her advice on how cars worked and ways to improve. While she went to one of the best private schools in New York, her uncle was a mechanic, and she really wanted to work with him when she graduated. While her brother Luke was relaxed and calm, she was mostly edge, always worried about someone sneaking up on her. Even though Faith was the daughter of  _the_  Tony Stark, the group of friends often joked that Katie was the one who was most likely to become a superhero.  

The last person in their friend group was Ashton. He was extremely shy; he met Faith in band class in middle school. He was a drummer that had a habit of playing far too quietly, so no one could ever hear him. Faith thought was adorable, and practically forced herself into his life. The more they talked, the more Faith committed herself to being his friend. His father was a drug addict, that would beat his wife and their two children. When Ashton was 11, and his sister was only 6, his mother left, and they were forced to move into the ghetto of New York, his mother working three jobs just to make ends meet. A year later, his mother was in a sever car accident, bad enough to paralyze her from the waist down. The other driver was drunk, and his mother's doctor insisted that she press charges. Instead of being charged with reckless driving, driving while under the influence, and reckless endangerment, the man paid them over three million dollars to end the lawsuit. She sent a side a million for each kid for their education, and spent the rest wisely to keep them happy for the next  _several_  years. They didn't act as though they were rich; they lived humbly, and Ashton was able to go to the best private school in the state. He had dirty blond curly hair, blue-brown eyes, and black thick framed glasses. He dressed in a grunge style, but every so often, he liked to wear button-ups, suspenders, and bowties. He idolized the Avengers, but his shyness made him stand back and gawk from a distance. 

They were a group of damaged, weird teenagers who hated authority and wanted to change the world. And Faith loved them. 

They stepped off of the elevator together, the twins bickering - per usual - and Connor leading them with a grin on is face. Faith stepped over and pulled him into a tight hug, as if they hadn't seen each in weeks, when they had literally sat in class together not six hours ago. They pulled back after a few moments and invited them further in, heading to the kitchen to get out snacks and drinks. 

"Friday? Can you call for Peter?" she called out, her arms full of soda cans and chip bags. 

"Of course. He will be in shortly," the AI assured her. She thanked him quietly and went into the living room where her friends were sitting, hoping that this night went well. 

***

To say Peter was shocked was an absolute understatement. 

After watching Faith leave, Peter stood in the kitchen for another few minutes, smiling down at his feet. He decided that him and Liz wouldn't work out well after homecoming a few months ago. While he did truly like her - adored her, really - he realized that they came from different worlds. She was rich and popular and had lots of friends and cared about her image. While Peter was weird and dorky and shy. He wasn't bullied, but he had very few friends, and he didn't really care about what other people thought of him. They obviously weren't meant to be. And Ned had been trying to set him up with MJ, but he didn't feel a connection with her, so he didn't want to lie to himself. Peter decided that perhaps dating wasn't his strong suit, and he should focus more on studying. 

But Faith.... She was different. As soon as she came into the room, it felt like warm sunlight engulfing his body for the first time. His heart began to pound in his chest, and his palms began to sweat. Her voice was like liquid gold, drenching his skin like a shower of holy water. Her tinkling laugh was like bells that kept ringing in his ears. When she invited him to a party with her friends, he felt more excited than when Faith told him that he was going to have his own floor and would be transferred to a private school. He wanted to spend more time with her, to get to know her more. 

While his floor wasn't necessarily finished yet, he wanted to go see it. And it was huge. It had at least 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a large living room, a kitchen, and an area for a dining table. It didn't have any furniture in it yet, but Peter placed his bags down and sat in the middle of his living room, staring at himself in the crystal clear glass of his fireplace. He had his own fireplace, something he never really thought of owning. 

Peter didn't realize how long he had been sitting in silence until the AI spoke to him. He jumped, still not used to having a robot watching him at all times. Using the glass of the fireplace, he checked his outfit, feeling a bit stupid that he didn't bring more than jeans and t-shirts with him for the weekend. He was leaving Sunday night to go back to Queens to finish his junior year, so he didn't bring anything more than the necessity. 

In the elevator, Peter bounced up and down on his heels, taking a few deep breaths. He could do this. He could sit with a pretty girl and get to know her friends and be accepted into her friend group. He could do this. 

Peter stepped out onto Faith's floor, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Hello?" he called nervously. Suddenly, Faith stuck her head out from behind the corner, flashing him a bright smile. 

"Hey you! Come on, they're here," she said, skipping over to him and hooking their arms together, dragging him further onto her floor. He laughed weakly at her enthusiasm. "So they're kinda weird, but I promise they are very nice and you will like them a lot." 

They stepped into the living room, and four pairs of eyes were suddenly turning towards him. His first thought was that he definitely wasn't under dressed. They were all wearing sweatpants, some jeans. So at least he didn't look like an idiot. "Um...hello," he mumbled to them, giving them a small wave. 

"So this is Connor, Katie, Luke, and Ashton. Guys, this is Peter. He's gonna moving into the tower soon, and Dad's gonna make him an Avenger!" she said proudly, grinning up at him. Peter couldn't help but feel proud of himself in turn, smiling down at her. She turned back to her friends. "Once he moves in, Dad's gonna transfer him to our school, so be nice. I'm looking at you, Katie," she said, giving the other blonde a stern look. The girl scoffed weakly. 

Faith let go of his arm and sat down on one of the multiple couches, propping her feet up on the coffee table, which was littered with snacks and drinks. Peter took his chance and sat next to her, giving a kind smile to her friends. Connor shifted from her other side, laying down with his head in her lap; she immediately ran her fingers through his hair. This action made Peter frown. He never even thought about the idea of Faith already having a boyfriend, and it put a damper on his mood. He knew that Faith was way out of his league, but her actually already being taken was shocking. 

The group made mindless chatter about school and things for a few minutes, Katie searching through the assorted drinks on the table. "Faith," she said, getting her attention. "Do you have any more of those flavored Cokes you had a few weeks ago?" 

Faith hummed. "I might. Want me to look?" she asked, already pushing Connor off of her. 

"Please." 

"Peter, can you come help?" Peter looked up suddenly, actually surprised that she was talking to him. 

"Uh, yeah. Sure," he said awkwardly, getting up and following her to the kitchen. Once they were around the corner, she stopped, turning towards him. 

"Hey, listen, I should have asked you earlier, but it totally slipped my mind. Do you have any issues with people being gay?" she whispered. Peter blinked. What was this about? Was...Was this her way of coming out to him? Christ, was she gay? He suddenly felt like an idiot. Should he have seen it coming? Did she give him signs? Should he have known? 

"Uh, no, no absolutely not. Ii have no problem with it," he said quickly. Faith let out a sign of relief. 

"Thank God. Connor and Luke have been dating for two years now, and they wanted me to ask you before they got affectionate with each other, in case it made you uncomfortable in any way," she said, opening the fridge. She did have a few more cans of flavored Coke, and Peter took a few so she wouldn't have to carry them all. 

"Oh, yeah no, I'm totally cool with it. I really don't care," he said, giving her a kind smile. He actually felt a little better. Faith wasn't gay - that he knew of - and she wasn't dating Connor. It raised his spirits a little bit. 

They took the cans back into the living room, Faith giving a slight nod to Connor as she sat down. He immediately got up from the couch and moved to the other one, where Luke was laying. He rested his head on his chest, staring up at the ceiling as the conversation returned. Per request, Friday put on a random movie in their huge library, and the conversation died down. Tony actually ordered Chinese food for them all, and they ate in silence, the only chatter being when someone thought something tasted good, and they wanted someone else to try it. It was obvious that all members of the group were utterly exhausted due to the pressure of finals, that Peter could tell. It was nice to just sit and relax, without having to act like he was someone cooler than he was.

Around 11pm, the twins began bickering once again, arguing over what movie to watch next. In the end, Katie won, and they put on the newest horror movie, _The Nun._  The lights went out completely, and they all got comfortable. 

See, Faith Stark was not scared of horror movies. She actually enjoyed them fairly well, enjoyed the creepiness, the mystery. However, she did not like jump scares. Even if she could feel them coming, she always jumped, her heart racing fast. As the movie progressed, Faith jumped hard, a squeak coming out of her mouth. She reached out, grabbing the first thing she could to make herself feel safe, which just so happened to be Peter's arm. 

Peter wasn't scared of the movie; not of the creepiness, or the jump scares. He didn't scare easily, and seeing as he could sense every scare coming up, nothing surprised him. However, when he felt Faith grab his arm, her choppy nails digging into skin. That made him jump, however, he did not move any more. If Faith needed comfort, then he could do her this small favor. 

By the end of the movie, Faith was practically in Peter's lap, her face hidden in his shoulder. She really did enjoy the movie, but the jump scares were really getting to her. Her heart was pounding, and both of her hands were wrapped around his bicep. He continued to hold still, allowing her to take whatever comfort she needed in the moment. After the movie was over, Connor demanded that they watch a fun, happy movie, so he could sleep well that night. Everyone in the room agreed, so they put on The Little Mermaid, and slowly relaxed. 

Halfway into the movie, Peter looked over to Faith, wanting to make sure she was okay after being terrified, as she was still holding onto his bicep, but it was surprising to find her asleep against his shoulder. He tensed, not making a single move. Faith was very tired, and he did not want to wake her. 

When that movie was over, it took only seconds after the light came on for the others to notice that Faith was fast asleep. Connor stood and stretched, stepping over to her. "Here, I'll take her to bed," he offered. Peter nodded, watching him bending down to pick her up, one arm under her knees and one under her back, picking her up bridal style. She shifted in his arms, letting out a soft whimper, though she never woke. He took her to her room, laid her on her bed, and kissed her forehead before leaving. Noticing that the others were beginning to grab their things to leave, Peter stood as well, making his way to the elevator quietly. 

"Hey Parker," Katie called out softly, still making sure to be quiet for Faith. Peter stopped and turned. There was a pause. "...Welcome to the group," she said after a moment, giving him a tight smile. Peter returned it. 

"Thank you. It was lovely to meet you guys," he said, stepping into the elevator. As the door slid shut, Peter slowly grinned to himself, watching his own cheeks flush in the polished metal. He was so excited to start his life here. 


	3. Chapter 3

Faith actually didn't see Peter again for the rest of the weekend. 

Saturday morning, she got up early to go to dance rehearsal. Her and her dance partner, Connor, were working very hard on their end of the year performance. Every year, their private school put on several events to showcase what their talented students had done that year. They had a science fair for the physics department, and a math tournament for others. The art students put together a whole gallery, and the choir and band departments both put on performances. They actually didn't have a dance team, but after seeing Faith's and Connor's dedication to dance in their freshman year, the school board decided to let them put on a performance of their own. It was a huge event for the school, and the pair put lots of time and energy into their performance. 

When Connor arrived in the morning, Faith was already there, sitting on the floor as she stretched her legs out. He placed his bag on the floor and sat next to her, following her lead. "Good morning," he hummed happily. "Did you get enough rest last night?" Something in his tone was sarcastic, but Faith didn't see why he would feel the need to be smug, so she decided to ignore it. 

"Yeah, I slept pretty well. Better than I do when I stay in the dorms at school," she mused, spreading her legs into a splits and bending over, stretching her back and legs. 

"I'm sure. I mean, your bed is probably as expensive as my house. But even if it wasn't, I bet Peter's shoulder was pretty comfortable." There it was, the reason for his sarcasm. Faith rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushing a light shade of pink as she stood. She pressed her feet together and bent over, pressing her forehead to her shins. 

"Shut up, Connor." 

The man laughed, straightening his back and bending his arms behind his head. 

"You totally have a crush on him." 

Faith stood fully, stretching her arms behind her back. "I do not. And...even if I did, which I don't, I'm not ready for a relationship. Not after last time." She mumbled the last bit, looking at herself in the mirror. No, her last relationship had ruined her opinion of men. She didn't want, nor did she need, someone else in her life. Connor stood up as well. 

"I get that you're scared and everything, but I mean, you can't stay afraid forever, right? What if...What if you find... _the one_ , and you skip over him just because you're scared to be with someone again?" he asked, looking concerned. He knew exactly what she had gone through with her ex, and while he was also a bit nervous for her to get into a relationship, he wanted her to have someone who genuinely cared, just as he had Luke. Everyone deserved someone to make them happy. 

Faith sighed in return, pulling her messy curls into a high bun so it would be out of her face. "I suppose you are right. But we did just meet; I don't want to rush into something just because he's kinda cute." 

Connor stepped up to the mirror with her, pushing his own hair out of his face. "I don't want you to either. I just want you to be happy." Faith looked up at him with a kind smile, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Just then, their dance instructor entered the room, and their rehearsal started. 

After rehearsal, Faith went over to Connor's house. Faith's personal floor probably had more square feet than his whole house did, and Connor had two other brothers and a sister, plus his parents, that he lived with, though, Faith almost preferred to be there than her own floor. There was always noise, always people talking, and Connor's mom owned her own bakery, so his house always smelled like fresh apple pie. His room was small and messy, but it was cozy. The pair always went there to study and do their homework, as they both felt more at peace and more focused. Faith spent the night at his house; they and all of Connor's siblings set up a fort in the living room, and his mother made them homemade snacks as they watched random movies all night long. Faith had always considered the Avengers to be her family, but the tower never felt like a home. Here, in Connor's house, she felt like she belonged. That is why, even though Tony would probably buy Faith a huge mansion when she moved out, she swore to herself that she wanted a cozy cottage to raise her family in. 

***

Both Faith and Peter dedicated several hours through the week to studying. They went to school, took the test, then spent the whole evening studying for the final the next day. They were both worried and stressed, but, of course, they passed with flying colors. It was decided that at the end of the week, Peter would be moving into the Stark Tower. 

Aunt May already knew all about Peter being Spider-Man, so he told her about Tony turning him into an Avenger and needing him in the tower for emergencies. He begged his aunt to move in with him, so she wouldn't have to work to pay bills, and May considered it, but in the end, she wanted Peter to have his independence. He was a senior now, and would be attending the best private school in the state, on top of being an Avenger; she didn't want him to be worried about his aunt while he was off saving the world. Peter was a bit upset by her decision, but he respected it. 

Together, they moved what little items he had into his floor at the Stark Tower. Tony had bought him his own furniture, so his floor was complete as soon as he put his belongings in it. Peter ordered them some Chinese food, and they spent the majority of the evening sitting in front of his flat screen TV, watching a husband and wife team remodel an abandoned house.

It was silent for a moment, but as Peter shoved a forkful of rice into his mouth, May spoke up. "So, are you excited to be living here?" 

Peter took a moment to swallow before nodding. "Yeah, I think I'm really gonna like it here." 

"What are you gonna do in your free time? This tower is like a maze..." 

Peter chuckled. "Trust me, I know. There's a gym in the basement, so I'll have the chance to gain more muscle like I've been wanting to. I guess I can invite Ned and MJ up for a weekend or something. And Faith will be here, I'l probably spend more time with her." 

May immediately raised a brow. "Faith? Who's that?" 

"Oh, she's Mr. Stark's daughter." May gave him an odd look, and he laughed. "That was my reaction too! But really, she is his daughter. I guess he hated being surrounded by paparazzi growing up, and he didn't want the same for Faith, so he literally told no one about her, so she could have a normal life. She's my age; we'll be going to school together." 

May raised a brow again, but instead of looking curious or confused, she looked teasing. "Really? Interesting...Is she cute?" 

Peter choked on the broccoli in his mouth. He beat on his own chest, clearing his throat. "I, um...She is Stark's daughter," he said dismissively. Though, May was not having that. 

"I don't care who's daughter she is, that's not what I asked. Is she cute?" Peter's cheeks flushed dark. He kept his eyes down, picking at his beef and broccoli. 

"I....Yeah, she is. Like, really adorable." He began to smile, hiding it behind the food container. Just thinking about her and her bright smile and warm eyes made his heart start to race excitedly. God, he couldn't wait to see her again. May grinned at him, nudging him with her foot. 

"Aww, does my little nephew have a crush?" She teased. Peter kicked at her leg. 

"Shut up, I do not," he mumbled, though he was still grinning. 

"You do too! You can't lie to me!" 

Peter just shrugged. "...So what if I do? I can't do anything about it." 

"And why not?" 

"She's Mr. Stark's daughter! He'd kill me!" 

May scoffed. "Peter, if you and Faith want to be together, then I honestly don't think he's going to kill you for that. And if he does, then I'll talk to him. I know you and Liz didn't end perfectly, but if you like her, then you should go for it." 

Peter let out a soft sigh, shrugging once more. "I don't know, I doubt she likes me." 

"What makes you think that?" 

"Cause...she's amazing. Not only is she stunning, but, she can dance, and paint, and she's incredibly smart. Out of everyone in her private school, why would she chose to be with me?" 

"Peter, don't get down on yourself! You have tons to offer women! Listen, I bet that if you just be yourself, and be confident around her, she'll see how wonderful you are. And, ya know, if that doesn't work...you want to gain some more muscles. Just never wear a shirt around her." 

Peter flushed even darker, kicking at her while she laughed loudly. "May!" 

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I had to. But it's true! If she's a dancer, she'll probably appreciate a man with muscle." Peter shook his head at her, taking another bite of his food. "But really. If you want to be with her, then go for it! There is no reason to shy away from what makes you happy." 

Peter gave her a soft smile. "Yeah, I'll think about. Thanks May." The floor fell silent again, the only sounds coming from the TV. 

It wasn't until roughly 6pm that someone entered the floor. They both turned, a bit surprised to see Tony enter, wearing a full 3-piece suit. 

"...No, we'll be there on time, I want to get the best seats in the house...Yes, Happy will be recording it. I'm not gonna miss a single moment of it. Hold on Pep - why aren't you guys ready?" Tony said, finally pulling away from his phone to address the pair. They looked between each other, then back at him. 

"I...wasn't aware that we needed to be ready? Wh-What are we doing?" Peter asked, confused. Tony rolled his eyes. 

"The performance?" When they only looked at him with more confusion, he sighed. "Did Happy not tell you? Damn him... Faith is putting on a performance at her school, and the whole team is going. We're leaving in half an hour, so be ready when I come up here again." He pressed the phone to his ear again. "Yeah Pep, I'm here..." 

May quickly looked over at Peter. "Peter, I didn't bring any dresses!" she panicked. "I want to put on a good first impression." Peter jumped up from the couch, rushing to his bedroom. He thankfully brought all of his clothes, so he did have his suit with him. Sure, it was a hand-me-down, but it was taken care of, and still looked very nice. 

"Natasha is a few floors above. Go see if you can borrow something." 

Natasha did end up loaning May a sleek black dress, with a slit up her right leg. It fit her nicely, and she borrowed some earrings to match. Peter put on his suit and slicked his hair back before meeting the rest of the Avengers downstairs. All of the men were in suits, and every woman wore a dress and heels. They got into a large limousine that took them to the private school in which Faith would be performing. 

The lobby was humongous, and the auditorium was at least twice the size, and every inch of the room was filled with people. Students, teachers, administrators, and parents waiting to see the performance, chatting among themselves. By the entrance to the auditorium, stood Faith and Connor. Connor wore the common black suit with a white button-up and a navy blue tie. His hair was elegantly pushed out of his face. 

Faith, on the other hand, was absolutely stunning. 

Her usual messy curls were done properly, now in loose waves that caressed her jawline. She wore light make-up, that accented her eyes and brought out her freckles even more. Her lips were a rosy pink, that framed her white teeth perfectly when she smiled. She wore a two-piece navy blue dress. The top had thin straps that went around her neck, and was accented with lace. It came down to the middle of her ribs, and the skirt started right below her belly button. The skirt had a silver decorated band that hugged her waist. It was navy blue as well; the back grazed the floor elegantly, while the front barely came down to her knees, showing off her legs and silver heels. 

The pair stood at the entrance, greeting the audience as they entered the auditorium. When the Avengers approached, Faith's smile only grew as she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Tony's waist. He grinned in return, hugging her to his chest and kissing her curls. 

"Hey sweetie!" he laughed, holding her tight. "Are you ready?" 

Faith pulled back, pushing her hair out of her face. "Yeah! It's gonna be great, we've worked so hard on this. Oh, uh, here's your seats," she said, grabbing the paper off of the table behind her. It had their names over what seats they would be sitting in. As the Avengers stepped into the auditorium, they each stopped to give Faith and hug and tell her good luck. Peter was the last in line, with May holding onto his arm. He gave Faith a bright smile as he stepped forward. 

"H-Hey Faith," he stammered, hoping she didn't notice. "This is my aunt, May." She stepped forward a bit, smiling and holding her hand out. 

"It's nice to meet you," she hummed. Faith flashed her an award-winning smile, shaking her hand tightly. 

"It's so lovely to have you here! I hope you guys enjoy what we've put together." As they went to step into the auditorium, Faith stepped in front slightly, wrapping her arms around Peter's shoulders, pulling him down into a warm hug. "Thanks for coming," she mumbled. 

"N-No problem...I'm proud of you," he said softly, his ears burning. Faith pulled away, giving him another smile before turning to the next person. They followed the Avengers, May excitedly patting him on the back. 

"She totally likes you!" she gushed. 

"...Shut up, May." 

Throughout the performance, Peter was absolutely stunned. It was actually a sequence of dances, showing a love story. Between every song, a large screen above the stage showed little clips of Faith and Connor dancing at rehearsal. It made Peter grin, because he could actually see the effort that they put into each dance. 

It started with Faith as a waitress, and Connor as a customer, who repeatedly tries to hit on her. Through the dance, one could see Faith slowly giving in. The next dance was kind of sexy, obviously showing the start of their relationship, when things are fun and exciting. The next dance was slow and sensual, the couple slowly falling in love. The fourth dance was a wedding scene, and was both loving and sexy, showing the whole relationship as what it was. There were some more loving dances, and some more sexy ones, leading up to when Faith found out Connor was cheating on her. The dance showed Faith's internal debate on whether or not to accept his apology, or to kick him out. The final dance was far more heartbreaking. Connor was laying in a bed, as _'Dreaming With a Broken Heart'_ played softly. He suddenly woke with a start, and the dance began. Connor was obviously regretting his choice to cheat on Faith, and while Faith was there, dancing with him, he could never touch her. They were just dancing around each other, trying to find what was missing. At the end of the dance, they finally came face to face, looking into one another. Just by their facial expressions, one could see the regret on Connor's face, but Faith was still in so much pain. She shook her head, and walked away, leaving Connor to go back to bed on his own. 

The whole audience was in tears. 

Faith and Connor received a standing ovation from the entire crowded audience. They came back on stage, still wearing their clothes from the final dance. Holding hands, they bowed, big grins on their faces as they panted. After a few seconds, the principal came out onto stage with a microphone. 

"And let's hear it for the best dancers in all of New York!" he called out, the auditorium screaming in applause once more. He gave each of them a hug before they disappeared backstage to change. "Please exit the auditorium in an orderly fashion. The dancers will be outside if you would like to say hello or take pictures. Thank you for attending this evening, we hope to see you back next year!" 

Everyone slowly exited the auditorium, and while most people decided to best to just leave, the lobby was still full of people wanting to see the dancers. When they finally came out, wearing regular jeans and hoodies, the lobby cheered once more. Faith broke out into a huge grin, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she said hello. Since they didn't have anywhere to go, the Avengers stayed in the lobby, off to the side, waiting for them to finish with their fans. They were all talking excited about the dances, Tony gushing over the video that Happy took. 

Peter took a moment to look around the room. It was large, with student's artwork and posters for different kinds of plays and performances put on by the school. It was a gorgeous building, and Peter was a little overwhelmed with the idea that this would be his school come fall. While the lobby slowly cleared out, Peter took Aunt May outside for some fresh air. She was still gushing over the performance, while Peter was looking around. Across the street, there was a flower shop, just getting ready to close for the night. On a whim, Peter told May to stay by the door as he ran over, buying a single red rose for Faith. 

It was almost a half hour later when the lobby finally cleared. Half an hour of Peter standing very nervously, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he twirled the single rose in his fingers. If any of the others noticed his nerves, no one said anything. 

Finally, the pair made their way over to the Avengers, big grins on their faces. They took turns giving out hugs, thanking everyone for showing up. They chatted for a while, but Tony eventually declared that he was starving and wanted to go home, so they slowly left the building. Connor drove himself to the performance, so he kissed Faith's cheek and bid her goodnight. As they made their way to the limo, Peter reached out, gently grabbing Faith's arm. She slowed her walk, until they were the last ones behind the group. 

"Hey, so, I got you this," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck as he handed her the rose. "Your dancing...was incredible. Took my breath away, really. You're...amazing," he breathed, a big smile on his face. Faith returned in, smelling the flower gently. 

"Thank you, this is so sweet. I'm glad you came tonight, it means a lot." They stopped as they approached the limo. Right as Faith was about to get in, she stopped, turning to quickly press a happy kiss to Peter's cheek. He grinned, his skin flushing as they got in. The only seat left was right across from Faith. 

And if Peter watched as Faith smelled the rose once more, her own cheeks flushing in the low light, then that was a secret he would keep to himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading!!! This isn't my first work, but I'm stuck on my other stories, so I decided to make this one to get me out of my writer's block. Please leave a kudos and a comment if you liked it!!


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